Spring Days
by Anarchy Duck
Summary: ONE SHOT/COMPLETE On these days in Spring, Lovino knows when his brother needs him the most. S. Italy and N. Italy brotherly. Non-Yaoi.


_**Honestly, I have no idea where this came from. It was watching the movie 'Practical Magic' one day and one day it showed a sweet little scene between two sisters, one comforting the other. Suddenly, the Italy brothers popped in my mind and this little thing was born. **_

_**Plus, I love Italy brotherly love. It's so sweet =3**_

It was always around this time when Lovino came to stay with his brother.

Not because he wanted to, but because he knew what would happen if he didn't. At first, he made it obvious to Feliciano that it was a bother to him, that he'd rather be somewhere else instead of stuck here with his little brother. Yet, over time, it became a habit.

Every year since the end of the war, Lovino has shown up at Feliciano's doorstep. Each year, he would find Feliciano in the exact same place.

In his room, buried underneath the blankets and pillows. By now, Lovino would have figured his brother would have changed the bed, exchange the heavy comforter and wool blanket for lighter sheets. But no. It was always like this.

Around this time of year, Feliciano would always become like this.

Lovino lightly scowled down at the blankets, "Feliciano, get up."

The mass of blankets didn't move.

"I know you hear me."

Still no movement or sound.

"Feliciano."

Silence was his only reply.

Exhaling a frustrated sigh, Lovino, restraining the urge to just rip the blankets off, sat down on the edge of the bed. "Feliciano." He growled out his brother's name, already past growing tired of his brother's antics.

This time, he saw the blankets shift a little, as if the person below them flinched.

With another sigh, Lovino turned a little and found the edge of the blanket, pulling it back to reveal his brother's face. Wide brown eyes stared at him, a hint of a smile showing. "How did you know I wasn't sleeping?"

Always the same question.

Lovino rolled his eyes, "I'm your brother. I always know."

Always the same response.

Lovino knew this like a well-rehearsed play.

"Now, get your ass up. You've wasted half a day by lazing around." He stated, looking down at his brother.

Feliciano nodded, "I know… but I just don't feel like it today…" He brought up the blanket to his chin, his eyes drawn to the edges that were just beginning to fray.

"You never feel like getting up…" The older Italian muttered.

Silence issued around them, with only the sounds of outside birds chirping to break it. Neither brother spoke, one looking off to the side while the other stared at the fraying edges of his blanket. For a long time, only the carefree chirping and the low rustle of a breeze sounded around them. With the breeze also came the distant chiming of a church bell from the village down the road.

Finally, one of them spoke.

"I dreamed about him again… except this time we were in a field." Lovino didn't have to look to know his brother was smiling. It was in his voice, the way he spoke his words so wistfully. "We were just talking and laughing…"

"It was just a dream."

A sigh. "But it seemed so real… I wish it was."

This time, Lovino did look at him. There, just at the corner of his eye, was a hint of a tear. Not one of normal tears, the ones that fell whenever he tripped over his own shoelaces or got yelled at after doing something stupid. No, these tears were different. They were ones that Lovino hated to see because they meant something.

Pain.

Anguish.

_Heartbreak. _

Things that didn't belong to Feliciano.

Lovino might not have been the greatest brother in the world, but he knew when he was needed. The only time when Feliciano would actually turn to him for comfort. It was comfort that Ludwig, or Kiku, or any other one of Feliciano's friends couldn't give him.

It was comfort only family could give.

The older brother sighed, shifting on the bed to lay on his side next to Feliciano. The younger looked up, blinking once as brown met green.

"You need to stop doing this." Lovino spoke softly yet his words remained firm.

Feliciano nodded, his eyes drawn away to the blanket again. "I know… I've tried but I can't help it. The dreams keep coming back and they're always about him."

"Then forget about him. Never think about him again."

Feliciano's eyes widened and he shook his head. "No. No, no I can't do that. I don't want to forget about him. He…" His words faltered as he trailed off, the frayed blanket drawing his eyes again. He mumbled something too soft for Lovino to hear but he knew what the man said. He always said it, at least once.

_I loved him._

Lovino sighed, closing his eyes briefly before reopening them. He thought this whole thing was stupid. Why bother holding onto a memory? Especially when those memories only hurt? If this boy really loved Feliciano, than he never would have hurt him like this.

The older Italian shifted a little closer to his brother until their forehead's nearly touched. Any other time, his pride wouldn't allow him to get this close to his brother yet, at moments like these, he pushed his pride aside. Lovino breathed out a sigh, looking directly at his brother. "If he loved you, Feli, then he wouldn't want to see you like this. He'd want you to man up and stop crying."

"I'm not crying…" Feliciano muttered, bringing up a hand from underneath the blanket to rub at his eyes, as if to banish any tears before they started.

"_Now_ you're not." Lovino said. "Any other time, you would be trying to flood the house or calling for that Potato Bastard."

Feliciano laughed softly at this and it made Lovino a little happier. It wasn't everyday he could make his brother laugh. Just on days like this, when Feliciano didn't need to hear his yelling and regular cursing. He and Feliciano might not have gotten along well over the years but, after the war ended, their relationship improved a little. Mostly on Lovino's part. During that time, he had seen his brother swept away by that coward Mussolini and fall under the harsh, heavy hands of the Nazi's. Even today, Lovino didn't know exactly what happened to his brother during his time up north. They never spoke of it but Lovino knew he would never forget the moment when he saw Feliciano again.

It was sight that haunted him for several months.

Since then, he had grown watchful of his brother. They still had their differences, of course, but now they were much closer than they had been before World War II.

"Brother?"

Lovino blinked, his eyes refocusing as he saw Feliciano giving him a curious look. He must have spaced out again… The older Italian cleared his throat and rolled over, sitting up on the bed. "It's nothing." He muttered then huffed, as if annoyed again. "If you don't want to forget him, then just keep him in your prayers. You can remember him that way. But other than that, forget about him!"

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Feliciano grin then felt his brother's arms snake around his waist. "Mm! I will! I always pray for him! And Germany… and you… and Spain… and everyone I care about!" Feliciano proclaimed, now smiling widely.

_Thankfully_, Lovino thought to himself, smiling a little. Though, he caught himself before Feliciano could see it.

"I don't know why you have to add those idiots in it." He said, clearly referring to Germany and Spain. Those idiots… he could care less about Germany. As for Spain… well, someone _needed _to pray for that bastard. "Waste of time if you ask me…"

Feliciano just chuckled, hugging his brothers waist. By now, Lovino decided it was time for the other to move.

"Stop hugging me, idiot! And get up already!" He pushed Feliciano off and stood up, turning to rip the blankets off his brother. Feliciano made a squeak noise, to which Lovino only said, "Suck it up! You should have gotten up earlier, now, put some damn clothes on and help me make dinner."

Feliciano might have protested about getting up but anything he might have said banished from his mind when food was mentioned. "Oh! There is chicken in the fridge, I think… and there are still those tomatoes you gave me! I still have them…" Lovino listened as his brother rattled on, listing food items he had and naming off dishes they could make. With his back turned to Feliciano, he allowed himself to smile a little.

It seemed that it didn't take long for his little brother to return to his old self. Perhaps these yearly visits would stop soon. The events between Feliciano and Holy Roman Empire happened so long ago and it was part the point where Feliciano should move on.

If he moved on, then maybe he could get that damn sad look out of his eyes whenever Holy Roman Empire was mentioned. Honestly. It had only some-number of hundred years since the guy disappeared. Feliciano deserved to move on… find someone else…

"Can we invite Ludwig and Antonio over too?"

Lovino snapped out of his thoughts and turned on his brother. "No! Why would you want to do something like that?"

Feliciano, pausing in putting his shirt on, frowned slightly at him. "But, brother… I thought you liked it whenever Antonio came over…" He tilted his head slightly, resembling a confused puppy for a moment.

At the mention of Antonio, Lovino's face went a little red. "I-I don't! I don't want that bastard anywhere near here!" He sputtered, feeling his cheeks warm up.

Feliciano tugged on his shirt then, with that stupid little happy smile, started out of the room. "I'm going to go call Ludwig." He announced as he headed down the hall. "I'll call Spain for you~!"

"Don't you dare! Feliciano!" Lovino ran after his brother, trying to beat the other to phone while tossing out empty threats at him.

Feliciano just laughed and Lovino hoped he would hear that laugh more on these certain days.


End file.
